**Book Blitz** Gable by Harper Bentley

Title: Gable (The Powers That Be #1)

Author: Harper Bentley

Release Date: Dec 31, 2014

Find on Goodreads

Gable Powers had all the makings of everything my father had ever warned me about: a reputation that was anything but stellar, a dirty mouth that had me shivering at the things he uttered in my ear, and a body (oh, God, that body) that was covered in tattoos, all of which added up to a solid ten-point-oh on the bad-boy scale.

The first time I met him, I instantly loathed him.

The second time was even worse.

He was a jerk. He was an ass.

He had secrets.

He was nothing I thought I ever wanted.

So why couldn’t I resist him?

New adult. Not recommended for readers under 17.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

“I miss the white outfit,” he stated then put his hands on my hips, moving them down to where his fingers skimmed along the hem of my shorts then started moving them slowly back toward my bottom. “But these hot pink shorts make you look completely fuckable too.”

That brought me out of my stupor and I spun around, glaring up at him. “You can’t talk to me like that!” I hissed under my breath, glancing around self-consciously to make sure no one was watching our exchange.

He peered down at my chest where my nipples were standing at full attention under my t-shirt. “From the looks of it, I think you like me talking to you like that.” Then he leaned in closer. “What’s the matter? Never been talked dirty to before, Priss?” When he pulled back, I saw that the half grin was now going strong and his luminous brown eyes were dancing with humor at his having riled me.

Holy hell.

As I kept glowering at him, having no response to that, I noticed a girl next to us gawking at us, and embarrassed, I smiled shyly at her, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, trying to act normal. When she turned away, I whisper-hissed at him, “Are you kidding me right now? Just who do you think you are?”

He bent again to get close to my ear. “I’m the guy who’ll have you coming hard before the semester’s over,” he answered evenly, his eyes shimmering with cockiness as they burned into mine when he stood straight again.

Mesmerized, I gazed back at him, lost in him, wanting what he was selling, God, how did he do that, until it hit me that I should be offended by his boldness and I suddenly frowned. “What is your deal?” I screeched making several students look at me and felt my face burning even hotter than it already was at his inappropriate comments. I turned to get away from him mumbling, “Oh, my God,” but he grabbed me by the arm pulling me in close.

“You don’t  have to call me God. Gable works, but I’m sure I’ll be making you scream both soon,” he whispered close to my ear.

I pushed against his chest (of course he didn’t budge at all) and jerked my arm from his grasp with a scowl then moved as far away from him as I could, going to the back of the line to wait until he left. Standing there, I closed my eyes trying to get a hold of myself but could still see his seductive gaze searing into mine as he smirked while saying those things to me, as if he was so confident that they’d happen regardless of what I had to say about it.

And the really bad thing about it? As I stood there, a complete emotional mess from what’d just happened, I found I actually wanted those things to happen, which served to embarrass me even more not to mention just totally baffle me. I mean, I’d only slept with one guy, Hayden, my first and only boyfriend, and that’d been after we’d dated for almost a year so it wasn’t like I got around much, so what was wrong with me that I was all in for having sex with someone I barely knew? Someone who’d been an ass to me from day one. Someone who obviously had way more experience than I had.

As I stood behind everyone, I swallowed thickly, my cheeks still on fire, wondering who the hell I was, and when I moved my eyes to the front I saw Gable write his person’s number down in his notebook, smile at a girl who was gazing up at him like he was a damned rock star then he left without even a glance back at me.

When I finally got to the front, I wrote my person’s number down quickly and got the heck out of there because a few people were still watching me curiously. As I walked outside the building, I cautiously surveyed the area making sure Gable hadn’t hung around wanting to torment me some more but saw that he was off to my right talking to his friend, Mr. Tactful, and they were near the parking lot which was a good twenty yards away. I also saw that Gable was smoking. Well, total turnoff right there. Good. At least he had something about him that repulsed me (other than his cocky attitude, that is), and when I saw the coast was clear, I let out the breath I was holding, relief flooding over me along with a bit of disappointment at his unhealthy habit, and headed away in the opposite direction from him, going to my next class.

Harper Bentley has taught high school English for 22 years. Although she’s managed to maintain her sanity regardless of her career choice, jumping into the world of publishing her own books goes to show that she might be closer to the ledge than was previously thought.

After traveling the nation in her younger years as a military brat, having lived in Alaska, Washington State and California, she now resides in Oklahoma with her teenage daughter, two dogs and one cat, happily writing stories that she hopes her readers will enjoy.

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Wendy's 4 Bare Naked Star Review

You know that feeling you get when you meet someone and feel as if you’ve known them for a lifetime?  As if you’ve just connected in some way?

Yeah, that didn’t happen the first time I met Gable Powers.  Matter of fact, I didn’t like him one bit. ~Scout~

This is kind of how I felt about him too.  Scout was kinda cool in a ‘from the sticks’ naïve way, and Gable, well, he was the all American nightmare, every woman wants him, but none of them are going to get to keep him. Tattoos, muscles, abs, and lots of cocky attitude – yep we all want one of these short term.

Both characters had been hurt in the past and as often happens in real life that really does affect decisions taken in the future.

I enjoyed the banter and the emails made me laugh, although I believe that both characters were smart enough to know who was behind the messages, and this is where I started to dislike Gable, cocky hotness or not, he needed to man up and own his feelings.

Scout although I couldn’t blame her for getting lost in the moment, I felt she sold herself short and let him get away with treating her badly.

And it was these feelings of frustration and ‘that did not just happen’ followed by ‘alrighty I’m starting to understand where that came from’, that made this book great.

It was a quick read for me but good all the same, and I am looking forward to seeing those other Powers boys dirty me up a bit.

**Cover Reveal** Cowboy Passion by Helen Hardt

Book: Cowboy Passion — Bakersville Saga 5 & 6

Author: Helen Hardt

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Cowboy

Synopsis:

Treasuring Amber

Kissing handsome rancher Harper Bay to avoid a confrontation with her past isn’t on Amber Cross’s “to do” list, but sometimes a situation calls for desperate measures. She doesn’t expect the kiss to leave her breathless.

Amber is the hottest thing walking but clearly not Harper’s type. Nope, he’s not looking for a platinum blonde manicurist from the city, even if she is Bakersville’s reigning rodeo queen. After her surprising kiss leaves him panting, he changes his mind and decides to get to know her. Chemistry sizzles between them, but this gorgeous woman has a past that could get them both killed.

Trusting Sydney

Sam O’Donovan is bored with his stale life in Montana. When his brother-in-law offers him a great job and a cut of the McCray Ranch in Bakersville, Colorado, he’s ecstatic. This is the change he needs. As for beautiful Sydney Buchanan resurfacing? That’s icing on the cake.

Sydney’s back in Bakersville for one reason and one reason only. She needs to win as many large rodeo purses as she can to help her parents run their struggling ranch in Nevada. She doesn’t bank on running into Sam O’Donovan. All the sparks they shared five years earlier are still there, but so much else has changed. If only Sam could understand the decisions she made during their time apart…and trust her.

Author Bio

Helen Hardt is an attorney and stay-at-home mom turned award-winning romance author and freelance fiction editor. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal, and erotic romance from her home in Colorado. She’s a mother, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an avid fan of opera and football (as long as her older son and younger son are performing/playing, respectively), and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

Social Links

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Praise for Helen Hardt:

Helen Hardt writes as smooth as a hot knife cutting through butter. Her

words take you away and you feel like you are watching the story play out

right in front of you.

~Delightfully Dirty Reads~

Ms. Hardt has a way of writing that makes me forget I’m reading a book.

It’s more like slipping into a world she created and getting lost for a while.

~Whipped Cream Reviews~

Flawlessly written and in my opinion a work of art…

~Girly Girl Book Reviews~

Other Books in the Series

Cowboy Heat – Bakersville Saga 1 & 2

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1w6AdII

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1trA6Bl

Cowboy Lust – Bakersville Saga 1 & 2

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/14UYqGK

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1u5MFTJ

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**Cover Reveal** Without Me by Chelle Bliss

Without Me Cover Reveal & Prologue

Series: Men of Inked
Author: Chelle Bliss
Book Number: 5 - Final Book in the Series
Character: Anthony Gallo
Genre: Erotica, Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: Late March/Early April 2015

Blurb:

I’d led a selfish existence.

I liked who I was. Hell, I loved myself.

Women threw themselves at me and I took what they offered without remorse. I promised them nothing.

I sank my teeth into life, holding on to the bitch like my very existence depended on it.

Time passed.

Women came and went.

The second I let my guard down and released the hold I had on life… What was my award for such carelessness?

A love so spectacular and heart wrenching that it threw me for a loop. When I was in too deep to escape, my greatest fears became reality.

This is my story.

My downfall.

My salvation.

Click the Add Book button to add Without Me to you TBR

Throttle Me ~ Book 1 - Hook Me ~ Book 2 - Throttled ~ Book 2.5
Resist Me ~ Book 3 - Resisting ~ Book 3.5 - Uncover Me ~ Book 4

Without Me Playlist

★★Click here to read the Prologue★★

USA Today bestselling author Chelle Bliss crafts stories about real-life scenarios with fantasy Alpha males.
Her writing includes humor as well as steamy sex.
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Cover information:
Photo by Eric Battershell Photography
Cover Model - Thomas Yarborough Training
Cover Design - MGBookCovers

**Book Blitz & Review** The Choice by Allison J. Kennedy

Title: The Choice

Author: Allison J. Kennedy

Release Date: Nov 10, 2014

Find on Goodreads

How do you heal from your past when you're still trapped within it? 

I lost myself the night of the party. Just like that, my innocence and my sanity were torn away. 

I would like to say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn't. And I would like to say that falling in love is what rescued me, but it wasn't. Nobody told me what to expect in the coming days and weeks and months after conceiving a rapist's child. Years later, my wounds are still just as fresh as the night they were made. It would be so easy to disappear and allow the memories to consume me. 

But that's the choice, isn't it? To live instead. 

**This book contains rape triggers. Discretion is advised.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I pounded on the door of Alex's bookstore after a few knocks. “Where are you?” I groaned in agony, cupping my hands over the window so I could peer inside. I hadn't seen his car in its usual spot, and he hadn't answered my calls. I broke down right then and there for the millionth time, it seemed.

“May?”

I turned around and saw him standing behind me with a bag of groceries. “I left school. For good, I mean,” I stammered. “And you didn't answer your phone, and I was scared you hated me, too.”

He put the key in the lock while I rambled, hurriedly letting us inside. I almost wondered if he was ignoring me until he sat the bag down and pulled me into his arms. “Shhh . . .” he soothed. “How could I ever hate you?”

I gripped the back of his sweater in my hands, wishing I could disappear into him and never have to feel any of this again. Maybe if we were one person, our pain would have been easier to bear. But of course that was impossible. I was hysterical, sobbing so hard my knees threatened to give out.

He inhaled a deep breath and sang softly by my ear. I don't remember the words he sang, but I remember how quickly the sound of his voice calmed my weeping. He took my hand after a while and led me upstairs. I thought he was taking me to his piano, but he took me to his bedroom instead.

And the strange thing was, when he held up the covers for us to climb under them, I had not even a passing thought of being in Tyler's bed. I lay on his chest and he kept singing. Then he hummed until the last of my tears fell onto his shirt. He stroked my hair over and over. I'm sure he didn't know this, but the strokes matched his breathing.

And even after I went home, I held onto that moment in my memory until morning dawned the next day.

TBird's 5 Bare Naked  Star Review:

I found this book really struck a personal cord with me; the message was universal and applies to every breathing soul no matter what event tried to bring you to your knees.  Are you a bird or a fish?  Simple question really, do you swim on the ocean floor with the mass and hope to stay invisible or do you soar in the sky, willing to find your way solo, exposing your beauty?  That is the question we should all ask ourselves, but the story doesn’t end there.  What happens when people, life and events, try to break your wings and make you part of the mass? 

May had to face that question and fight for her answer.  Her parents loved her and her little sister Grace but they weren’t there for her.  With her father being a surgeon, her mother a lawyer, May was the primary caregiver to her little sister.  May was focused, she knew what she wanted for her future, she was going to become a doctor and she was willing to work hard to get there.  One night, changed her world.  After going to a party that her best friend begged her to attend, she found she was shattered.  You can read in the synopsis what happened and what she would face later so I will not rehash that in the review. 

Alex is a man who lost everything, his parents, and grandfather. He had to quit college with his study in music to come back to a small town he never wanted to return to so he could run his grandfather’s book store.  His story plays a vital role in this plot, life has tried to defeat him, but he refuses to allow the death and evil, the mistakes by others and the dark emotions that come, change his perception on life.  He will do the best he can with what he has and find a way to be happy and strong.  Everything that happens has a purpose, but only you can make everything have a positive purpose in your life.  He is going to take May and care about her, love her and value her.  He will know her story, he will know the choices she will make but he will support her and help her never lose sight of the bird she once was and the beauty she could now be.  After a traumatic event, we can never go back to the person we use to be but that doesn’t mean we can’t still succeed and find our new way out of the darkness. 

So many things in this book flew from the pages and wrapped around my soul.  I think the biggest message I received was no one can heal you just as you can’t heal anyone else.  Alex gave May a safe place to fall, even a few bandages to use, but the actual healing from what happened to her had to come from within herself.  The world around her needed to change, but she was only responsible for changing herself.  She needed to forgive herself, allow her mind to rest and most of all accept that she deserved to be happy again and heal.  May will find that there are more dramatic losses in her life coming but she will slowly discover she is strong enough to endure it. 

There are times in life when a reader is struggling with something personal.  They grab a book to escape and find that their escape has soon become their circle of healing.  I can see this book doing that for thousands of readers, both male and female.  In a world that tries to break the wings of the bird in our souls, we can see that we are not alone.  We also can learn it is ok to be a fish among the masses, as long as that is what we were meant to be and we find our own place and purpose among the group.  While the main topic in this book is a very sensitive one, the author did a brilliant job at approaching each event with a great deal of respect and grace.  I can see where the emotions and events could be triggering to survivors, please know the author did NOT go into graphic detail nor did she sensationalize the topic to make an impact.  She exposed the emotions that are left among the broken soul.  She could be heard in the winds that placed the pieces back together again.  She became the voice to those silent victims who refuse to talk about it.  I highly recommend this book; it touched my heart and will be read over and over again by myself in the future.

Allison was born and raised in the mountains of Oregon, birthed of the crisp, clean air and rainy forests. She now resides in Oklahoma City, though she is still thoroughly attached to her home and finds much inspiration for her stories whenever she has a chance to return. As the spouse of a police officer and a full-time photographer, she is on her toes 24/7. In 2013, she was a recipient of the Oklahoma Next Generation award: an award given to thirty individuals under the age of thirty in the state who have proven to be innovative and inspiring leaders in the arts, entertainment, business, media, and other areas of impact.

Often told that she has her head in the clouds, she couldn’t deny it even if she wanted to. Allison began dreaming up stories long before she was old enough to write them. She enjoys a variety of genres, including YA, romance, historical romance, fantasy, dystopian, and anything else that hooks her interest. She prefers to write books that tell gripping love stories in heart-wrenching, real, inspiring ways. Her stories are deep and raw, taking the reader into a world that is richly intricate. Readers often say that they are swept away and left reeling when they have finished the last page.

Allison loves to interact with her readers, and she does her best to respond to every email she receives. To learn more about her, visit her Facebook page and follow along on her writing journey!

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**Blog Tour** Uncover Me by Chelle Bliss

Uncover Me - Men of Inked #4

I lost track of my life.

Spiraling down the rabbit hole, I lost myself and became one of them. Living undercover within the MC, the days bled together as I became absorbed in a life of excess and violence.

Becoming consumed was easy.

Was I Thomas Gallo, good guy and respected cop or Blue, Sergeant-at-Arms of the Sun Devils MC?

Before, I could answer with certainty. But now, there’s a darkness that has settled deep in my soul, fusing with my heart and altering my reality forever.

The road I’ve traveled has been paved with danger, death, and deception.

Roxanne grew up as part of the MC, a victim of her birth. Her life has been treacherous, setting her on a course of torment and destruction.

When our worlds collide, secrets are revealed. Trying to save us from damnation, I fight for redemption and the woman I love.

Wendy's 5 Bare Naked Star Review:

Maybe it’s the mystery that surrounds Thomas throughout the Men of Inked series that made this the most anticipated book of the series.  

He is the mystery Gallo that we have followed from afar during Joe, Michael & Izzy’s stories.  We have yet to get Anthony’s story, but Chelle has given us more than just a glimpse in Uncover Me of him too.

I always felt that Thomas was going to be my favourite Gallo and that’s a fair challenge right there, but he stood up and rose to that challenge.

Thomas aka Blue, Sergeant-at-Arms of the Sun Devils MC – undercover for so long now, he can no longer see the line that separates Thomas and Blue.  In order to have survived his time with the Sun Devils he has had to make choices that leave blood on his hands.

Was I Thomas Gallo, good guy and respected cop or Blue, Sergeant-at-Arms of the Sun Devils MC?

Roxy, lost, lonely, a stripper by circumstance, brought up by the MC.  She has fallen for Blue, but what does she really know about him, certainly nothing of Thomas.

Thomas knows his time is almost up with the MC, but can he leave Roxy behind to fend for herself?  That is what the job will tell him, but what will his heart say and what will the consequences of his decision be?

And yet amongst all the seriousness of Thomas & Roxy’s situation, Chelle reminds us of the Gallo family bond and those fabulously amusing family dinners, they are the best, Izzy is just a fabulous.

“Girl talk is my favourite.  I have been surrounded by dicks my entire life” She laughed.  “Do you love my brother?” she asked, not beating around the fucking bush.

“You’re like the Virgin Mary, Ma.” “Not after your father got his hands on me.  I don’t think I left confessional for a month.  I had a lot of repenting to do.” Her laughter grew louder as Izzy winced.  “See the shit I have to put up with in this house?” Izzy asked, throwing her hands up.

Thomas and Roxy’s story is not the sexiest of Chelle’s books but there was so much to their story that when they did the sexy on it was, well, hot!

“Thomas, you know I like it when you’re rough.  I may be bad just so you give it to me good.” “Babe,” he growled, his voice growing deeper…..

I can honestly say that there are no weak links in the Men of Inked series – each one steps up to the plate and satisfies our appetite for a Gallo.

Purchase Uncover Me

Amazon - http://amzn.to/1yM3Leu
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1yyZN4X
Amazon CA - http://amzn.to/1uiFHup
Barnes & Noble - http://tinyurl.com/ks28lz5
iTunes - http://bit.ly/1zKTdud
Kobo - http://tinyurl.com/kfjdooj

USA Today bestselling author Chelle Bliss is an American author
who writes stories about real-life scenarios with fantasy Alpha males. Her works include humor as well as steamy sex.

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Sign up for the Chelle Bliss Newsletter

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Listen to the Uncover Me Playlist on Spotify

Do you like pierced and tatted ALPHAS? You need to read the Men of Inked series!
The Gallos (FREE) ~ Prequel: http://amzn.to/1wVGkPt
Throttle Me (99 cents) ~ Book 1: http://amzn.to/1ApcSSD

Hook Me ~ Book 2: http://amzn.to/1ApcUKf

Throttled (99 cents)~ Book 3: http://amzn.to/1mUoWko
Resist Me ~ Book 4: http://amzn.to/1t5S6TG
Resisting (99 cents) - http://amzn.to/16tyOBl
Uncover Me ~ Book 5: http://amzn.to/1yM3Leu
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**Release Blitz** Absolute Love by Erin Everleigh

Absolute Love by Erin Everleigh

Releases - 20th January 2015

Genre: Contemporary Romance

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22368147-absolute-love

Synopsis

Phoebe thought she had her Happily Ever After. She had a beautiful little girl and was married to the man of her dreams.

But the unexpected death of her mother causes Phoebe’s world to come crashing down.

Confronted with the realization that the missing pieces of her past are lost to her forever, she watches herself morph into a person she no longer recognizes. A person she quickly grows to hate.

Barely making it through each day, Phoebe struggles to repress her darkest thoughts. But at night, she is held captive in nightmares from which she cannot escape.

With her marriage dangling by a thread, Phoebe fears a future with Justin may no longer be possible.

Refusing to give up, Justin fights for the life they used to share. But when he stumbles upon what could be the missing piece to Phoebe's past, he is faced with a choice that could cost him everything.


When you feel like all hope is lost, is there a love that can transcend all and revive a broken soul?

Prologue

33 years ago

Susan stepped off the Greyhound bus and inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp winter air.  Almost immediately, she began to shiver in response to the sub-freezing temperature outside. She pulled down on her wool hat so it completely covered her ears, only leaving an inch or two of her newly cut and dyed hair exposed.  She slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and headed towards the street, pushing herself through the sea of people streaming in the opposite direction. 

Keeping her head down in fear of being recognized, she double-checked the address she had hurriedly scribbled down on a piece of paper before leaving her house that morning.  She knew she was being paranoid and was unlikely to be recognized by anyone there, but one can never be too careful – something she knew she would need to remember now that she was all alone in the big city. 

Sadly, it wasn’t her parents whom she worried would come looking for her.  They would probably be relieved to read the note that she left behind, absolving them of all responsibility for her well-being. They likely wouldn’t even realize she was gone until one of the maids found her note, which made clear that she did not want to be found.

Susan stopped in front of a small stone building, nestled between two daunting office towers.  Even in the busyness of the downtown streets, her destination looked welcoming – something for which she felt very thankful since it would be her home for some time.  The front door swung open and she quickly stepped to the side, allowing a girl who looked a couple of years younger than Susan pass.  The girl’s belly looked like it was about to burst and, with the help of two other women, she got into a waiting taxi. Susan instinctively touched her own belly and reveled in the thought that, in a number of months, she would be just like that girl.  As she watched the taxi’s taillights disappear down the street, she rubbed her belly and whispered to her unborn child, “This is it little one.  Today we start our new life together, just you and me.  If you are a girl, I'm going to name you Phoebe. And if you are a boy…well I’m not quite sure yet, thankfully I have some time to figure that out.  But most importantly, I pray that I will be enough for you…” Her voice trailed off as she opened the door and stepped into her new life.

About the Author

Canadian born and raised, Erin Everleigh, is the mom of three girls, who always keep her on her toes - twins age 7 and an older sister who is 9.  She has a self-confessed addiction to reading that her family will certainly corroborate, and you will rarely find her without her kindle at arm’s length constantly feeding this obsession.  She is the author of the soon to be released novel, Absolute Love.  A story that composed itself in her head, which she could no longer ignore.  After months of writing out chapters on her iPhone, she finally opened up her laptop and decided to take the plunge.

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Buy Links

Amazon US  Amazon UK




Amazon CA:
http://www.amazon.ca/Absolute-Love-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00SC98XBE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1421446010&sr=1-1&keywords=absolute+love


Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121080156?ean=2940151754804

Kobo:
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/absolute-love-1

iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id958712284

Giveaway

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**Blog Tour & Review** Flawed and Damaged by Emily Krat

Book Title: Flawed and Damaged

Author: Emily Krat

Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance

Release Date: 22 July, 2014

Two people haunted by their past…

The collision of two damaged hearts…

Meet Elizabeth Williams. She is at the airport on an important work assignment. If everything goes smoothly, after three years of hard work, she’ll get a promotion and a much-needed raise. Elizabeth is putting her life back on track after it was ripped out from under her feet four years ago when she lost her parents along with all her dreams. Standing here, she believes her life is going to change for the better any moment now. Nothing can go wrong, right?

Meet Ryan Price. He came to Moscow on business. Right now, Ryan is standing at the airport looking at a ‘present’ from his brother, judging by the sign a beautiful young woman is holding. Damn his brother for not cancelling this arrangement as Ryan asked.

Miscommunications and misunderstandings and a love story begins.

There will be a scary flight, lovely breakfasts, long evening conversations, sharing a secret or two, discovering one another, a lot of laughter, tender moments and some tears, a fight and, of course, the I-am-ready-for-the-end-of-the-world kiss.

Somewhere along the way, they won’t be able to fight their feelings any longer.

For the first time in his life, Ryan will experience a different shade of lust. And for the first time in her life, Elizabeth will have to trust despite all of the times she has been hurt.

Will these two wounded lost souls find love, peace and comfort in each other or will they just break each other more? Is it a train wreck of a love story or a happily ever after?

“Ryan, I love you.” He looks confused, but relief is evident in his eyes, so I continue. “It was wrong of me to tell you about my feelings like I did yesterday. I was being a coward. I’m glad you shared all this with me. I won’t run, Ryan.”

“But, I don’t understand. How can you love me? Even after I told you about what I’ve done … How can you love someone so … horrible?” he says bitterly.

“You are not horrible, Ryan. I know it. I feel it.”

“How?” The desperation in his voice squeezes my chest.

I stare into the deep green pools that are his eyes and wonder how I can show him what I see.

“In here,” I point to my heart, “I believe my heart. And from what you told me, I can tell that you had no family except Mark. You were a kid at thirteen who didn’t want to lose his brother, you were a young man who sacrificed his own freedom for someone he loved the most. Now you are a big business mogul who may be harsh toward his employees, but puts them first even when seeking revenge. It’s an honor for me to love someone as devoted as you.”

“Liz, I’ve lied – ” I interrupt him.

“We are people, Ryan. We all make mistakes. You think I’m so pure? I wanted to use David to stay in Seattle. I agreed to marry someone for my own selfish reasons. Then I came to Russia and spent more than six months making my Granny’s life a living hell. She lost her only daughter. I never once thought about her feelings. She was old, she needed my care, and all I did was sulk for my old life. Even with you, how do you know I’m not using you? Maybe I just like this sense of fulfillment I feel with you that overwhelms the loneliness I've felt for so long. I am not a saint, Ryan. I also did awful things.”

Ryan contemplates my words for several minutes. Then says quietly, “I lied to you.”

I sigh. Now I don’t like the direction this conversation is taking. “You already told me that you didn’t need an assistant. There’s more?”

“I read your journal.” 

The blood drains from my face.

“You what?” My voice trembles.

“When we were in Nice – the night you got drunk with Mark – I saw your notebook and I read it.”

“I … I …” No words come out of my mouth because I don’t have any. I can’t believe he did it. I wrote my sacred thoughts there, poured some raw feelings on those pages. They were never meant for anyone’s eyes other than mine.

“I’m sorry I did it. I was at a loss, I couldn’t understand what I was feeling for you.”

“So you read my journal to understand yourself? Ryan, it’s private. I poured my soul there. How could you do this?” I may be screaming now, but I don’t care. Some boundaries can’t be crossed.

“That’s who I am, Elizabeth. I don’t care about people’s privacy.”

“I’m so mad at you right now. I don’t even know what to say. Is that all?”

“No.”

Oh God!

“Tell me.” He almost looks scared. That’s when I know there are so many more lies he doesn’t want to tell me about. “Now, Ryan. You are going to tell me every damn thing. You owe me this.”

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Always an avid reader who consumes whole books in a single day, Emily Krat is ecstatic to now be on the other side of the page. For her writing stories and developing ideas for novels is a true passion and a dream come true. Emily is a chocolate junkie, “Grey’s Anatomy” fan, and admirer of good music. She loves summer rains, warm blankets on cold winter nights, as well as traveling, sleeping in late, watching TV shows, cooking, and baking. When she’s not writing or rewriting, she loves spending time with family and friends.

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TBird's 4 Bare Naked star Review:

I really loved this story and the characters Ryan and Elizabeth.  

The author had me hooked very early in the story with the fiasco that Elizabeth found herself in at the airport and the way Ryan misunderstood the situation.  This book was one of the rare occasions that I found simple everyday situations and mistakes were enough to create important scenes in the story.  The need to over dramatize events was not needed here, the characters were rich enough in their attitudes and personality to make me connect immediately and slap my hand on my forehead and think that is something I would have done myself. 

The story is told in a dual POV and there were times that we covered what had just happened briefly with each character and for me that took away from the smooth reading flow BUT that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t highly recommend this book to everyone because the plot is outstanding and left me wanting more immediately. 

Elizabeth is going to approach a new life in Moscow the minute Ryan walked into her world.  Losing her parents a few years ago, being disregarded by her aunt, her only family left was her grandma in Moscow.  Packing her belongings and leaving Seattle, she embarks on a life that would allow her to forget the past and move on from the mistakes and secrets she holds close.  Working at a job that she doesn’t love but would love to promote to a new position she makes a fatal error on her first assignment and finds that now she is jobless and being pursued by a rich, sexy and demanding American man. 

Ryan had anything but a happy home and the business he runs today once belonged to his father, the same business that made his father ruthless, absent and certainly an enemy to Ryan.  With nothing on his mind other than revenge, he goes to Moscow for business and is caught up in what he thought was a trick by his brother.  He couldn’t wrap his head around this beautiful, innocent woman named Elizabeth being a sleep buddy assistant to his brother.  She was beautiful, he wanted her but he didn’t want his brother’s left overs.  Once he realizes that he can’t get her out of his mind, he investigates and finds there is much more to this beauty than he assumed.  Now he has to find a way to get her to notice him and forgive his rudeness he displayed earlier, the same rudeness that caused her to lose a job to pay for her grandmother’s medical care. 

The author took a long time to bring these two together so if you don’t like the meet and have sex themes you will adore this story.  The story has been developed very well giving us their misgivings at being together while showing us that love and the heart are much stronger at times than fear and risks.  We learn what exactly is behind the need for revenge and lack of trust, why Ryan doesn’t believe in relationships and how losing the most important things in your life, could cause you to protect what little you have and refuse to share it with anyone else. 

There are also a lot of twists and secrets that you are about to discover with this story that will leave you wanting more after you turn the last page.  I was so engrossed in what I thought was going to be the happily ever after I was stunned when I realized we have more coming soon.  It was a very happy stunned by the way.  

This is a new author to me and I was very impressed with her ability to create the scenes in ways that allowed the reader to feel as if they were living the story.  I loved how she drew two characters from the opposite sides of life and weave a world for each of them to stay true to themselves yet merge together for a future. Although once Elizabeth finds out all of the information Ryan has been keeping, I am not sure this happily ever after is going to be so easy to obtain, but we shall wait to find out.  I highly recommend this book and can hardly wait to read the next installment of this story.  I think this will be an author you will want to keep an eye on in the future.